Apparatus for treating rubber articles.



w. P. McGEOU CH. APPARATUS FOR TREATiNG RUBBER ARTICLES.

6 suns-sneer Paten ted Jan. 23, 1917.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 23. 1915.

mfi 1 6 M n m n wfi I 3 i omW B Q Yw HIII! m W. P. McGEOUCH- APPARATUS {0R TREATING RUBBER ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED D'EC.23, I915. v

Patented Jan. 23,1917.

- W. P. McGEOUCH.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING RUBBER ARTICLES. APPLICATTON FILED bimzs. 1915.

1,213,665. Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inventor Rummy? w GM W ..P. McGEOUCH.

' APPARATUS FORTREATING RUBBER ARTICLES. 7

APPLICATJDN FILED DEL-23, 1915..

S'SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Jan. 28,1917;

Inventor L M Alter-nan w. 'P. McGEOUCH.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING RUBBER ARTICLES.

APPLICATJON FILED DEC.23,19I5.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

' e SHEETS-SHEET 5 V :Inve'ntov I Aitornqy W. P. McGEOUCH. APPARATUS FOR TREATING RUBBER ARTICLES.

\ Patented Jan. 23,1917.

APELICATION FILED DEC-23. I915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. MCGEOUCH, OF ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BOSTON WOVEN HOSE & RUBBER 00., OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING RUBBER ARTICLES.

1.21s,co5.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

Y '1) all whom it may, concern:

Be it known that I, iLLIABt P. Mc- Gnoucu, a citizen of the United States, and

-a residentof .-\rlington,' .in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts. have. invented an Improvement in pparatus for 'lreating Rubber Articles, ofwhich the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to an apparatus for treating articles of rubber or compositions of rubber-in anum'ulcanized state, and especially substantially long lengths of hollow rubber articles. suchfor instance asgarden or like hose, whereby a superior article may be obtained. as will be described. To this end, the article .of rubber or like material before it is vulcanized, has wound upon it a wrapper of cloth or other flexible material, and while being so wound, the article is subjected to a substantially great pressure to compress, compact and solidify the interior of the rubber or like article, while at thesame time the exterior surface thereof has imparted to it a smoother and more finished api'iearance. e

The invention isespecially applicable for making garden hose, and, in the present instance, I have sl own an apparatus for treating substantially long lengths of garden hose. Y

The apparatus herein shown as embodying the invention, consists of a plurality of rollers for wrapping a layerof cloth or other flexible material arouid the unvulcanizcd rubber sleeve upon a andrel or core, and means cooperatingwvith one of said rollers to maintain it in a fixed position with relation to the other rollers and thereby cause anexternal pressure to be exerted upon the rubber sleeve, which pressure increases as the cloth wrapper on said rubber sleeve. increases in thickness, as will be described.

Provision is made for varying the external pressure upon the rubber slecve,-

These and other featunes of. this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure]. is a plan view of an apparatus with which to produce garden or like hose in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2, a front elevation will: parts in section of the a -iparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 4- aiul 5, sections taken on the line -i-l. Fig. Figs. 6 and 7, details in section and on an enlarged scale of the rubber sleeve before and after treatment with the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 5. Figs. 8, 9 and 10, details on an enlarged scale of the movable upper rollerand a portion of the pressure devices cooperating therewith.

Referring" to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, (1 represents a sleeve of unvul *auized material commonly known as rubber, and Z) a core ormandrel upon which the sleeve a is built or made up of the desired thickness or diameter. As now commonly practised in the manufacture of garden or like hose, the rubber sleeve a has wound upon .it'a wrapper c of cloth or like material, while the latter is damp or in a wet condition. The cloth wrapperc is usually wound upon the rubber sleeve a with a machine, which comprises essentially three rollers (Z, 6, f, the rollers (l, a, being associated so as to support the rubber sleeve a and its mandrel b, and the'other roller 7 being capable of being moved toward and from the rollers cl, 6, so as to engage the rubber sleeve a and hold it in place between the rollers (Z, c, so as to insure the sleeve a being revolved, by the rollers cl, 6, and the.

supporting rollers (Z, c to wind the wrapper upon the rubber sleeve (1, and as the Wrapper is wound upon the rubber sleeve, the roller f is'lifted by the increasing, diameter of the wrapped rubber sleeve. This method of wrapping'the rubber sleeve (1 is open to the objection that the rubber sleeve a remains practically unchanged as to its interior con" struotion, and has its exterior surface more or less marked by the wrapper c, which frequently has pleats or folds formed in it, which are impressed on the exterior surface of the. rubber sleeve (L and become permanent defects or objectioimble markings when the wrapped rubber sleeve is vulcanized.

The present invention avoids these objectionable features and improves the vul canized rubber sleeved both interiorly and exteriorly, in that it causes the unvulcanized rubber sleeve to be compacted and rendered dense and firm during the wrap.- -ping process, so that, the vulcanized rubber sleeve is stronger and free or substantially free from internal pores, gas bubbles or cavities, and so that the cloth wrapper is freed or substantially freed from wrinkles, pleats or folds while it is being wound upon the rubber sleeve 11. To this end, provision is made for maintaining the roller f in fixed position with relation to the rollers (l c, and in the present instance. the roller f has eooperating with it devices which form practically a rigid or stationary abutment for the said roller, so that as the wrapper c is wound upon the rubber sleeve (I, the roller f is not permitted to yield or move away from the supporting rollers (I, 0, but remains in a practically fixed position with relation to the supporting rollers. and consequently as the layers of the wrapper a wound upon the rubber sleeve increase in number, the external pressure upon the rubber sleeve increases, and this increased pressure causes the ru ber sleeve to be compressed and rendered smaller in diameter as illustrated in Fig. 7. wherein the rubber sleeve (z is shown as of less thickness than the uncompressed rubber sleeve (1 shown in Fig. (3. 'l urthcrmore. as the wrapper c is wound upon the rubber sleeveunder an increasing pressure, the wrapper is rendered smooth and free or substantially free from wrinkles, pleats or folds, with the result that when the wrapped rubber sleeve a is vulcanized. the. exterior surface of the vulcanized rubber sleeve is smooth and free or substantially free from impressions or countersunk portions, which ordinarily are present when pleats, folds or wrinkles are formed in the wrapper.

In the present instance, I have shown. one construction or arrangement of an abutment or backing device for the roller 7, and while the construction herein shown may be preferred, it is not desired to limit the invention to the particular construction shown.

In the present instance, the roller f, which may be designated the pressure roller, is supported at a plurality of points in its length, by a plurality of sets of holding jaws 10, 12, (see Figs. 8 and 10), which are mounted to turn on the shafts 13, 14, of backing rolls 15, 16, carried by armsl? on a roclcshaft 18 journaled in the framework 19 of the machine and provided with arms 20, which are. connected by links 21 with the piston rods '22 of pistons (not shown), but which are movable in cylinders 22% support ed by the framework 19.

The holding jaws 10, 12, are

' being adjusted to engage rollers capable of 7 of different diameters, by means of threaded rods 2+ carried by a boss 25 on one jaw as 10 and engaging a like boss 26 on the cooperating jaw 12. The arm 17 has attached to or form ing part of it a block 27 (see Figs. 8, t) and 10), having a flat upper surface on which rests a wedge block 28, which is provided with an inclined upper surface 529 with which cooperates a cam-shaped crank or arm 30 fast on a rock-shaft 31, which is journaled in the framework 19 of the machine and is provided in the present instance with a handle or crank 32 at one or both ends, by means of which the operator can turn the shaft 31 so as to engage the cam 30 with the inclined surface 29 of the wedge block after the manner represented in Fig. 5.

The pressure roller f is moved into its -lowered or operative position as herein shown, by means of air, steam or other fluid under pressure, which is admitted into the cylinders 23 through a pipe 34 common to them all (see Fig. 1), and which is connected bya pipe 35 with a source of ply (not shown). The pipe 35 is'provided with a suitable valve 36 by which the admission of fluid to and the exhaust from the cylinders 23 may be controlled, in a manner well understood, said valve being actuated by the operator through a rod 37 connected with a crank 38 on the valve stem 39. The roller 7 may be returned to its inoperative or raised position shown in Fig. 4, as herein shown, by counterweights 40 connected by links 41 with cranks 42 on the rockshaft 18.

Provision is made for feeding the wrapper c from a table 43 to the rubber sleeve a and for rotating the latter and and, in the present instance, the roller 0 is positively driven from a main shaft 44 provided with a pulley 45, by a gear 46 on the main shaft, which meshes with a. gear -17 normally loose on a counter shaft 48 and adapted to be rendered fast thereon by a suitable clutch member 49, which is movable by a lever 50 orby a foot treadle 51 into andout of engagement with the gear 47 in a manner well understood. The shaft 48 is connected with the roller 0 by gearing comprising the gears 52, 53, pinions 54 and gears 55, the latter being fast on the roller 0. The roller 7 is also positively driven, which is effected as herein shown (see Fig. 3) by means of a gear on the roller f, meshing with a gear 151- loose on the shaft 18 and having attached to it -a sprocket wheel 156, connected bya link chain 157 with a sprocket wheel 158 on the shaft of a gear 153, which meshes with and is driven by the gear 152 on the shaft 48.

In operation with the apparatus herein shown, the mandrel I) having thereon a rubber sleeve a. of any desired length as, for

fluid supthe rollers d, c,

instance, fifty feet, is placed in the machine so as to rest uponthe rollers d, e. The cloth or other wrapper 0, which is moistened in the tank 60 containing water, is then laid upon the table 43 and. its front edge is smoothed out by hand and placed upon the roller (2, The rod 37 is then moved by the operator'to admit fluid pressure into the cylinders 23, so as to act-on the pistons therein and lower the roller f into contact with the rubber sleeve a as represented in Fig. 5. The operator then moves the handle 32 so as to rock the shaft 31 and bring the countershaft 48, and thereby set the rollers e, f in rotation, which rotate the rubber sleeve a and through the latter rotate the roller (Z in the proper direction to feed the.

wrapper and wind it upon the rubber sleeve. As the cloth wrapper is wound upon the rubber sleeve (t the diameter of the wrapped rubber sleeve is increased, and as the rollers d, c, f,

have a constant relation to one another, owing to the fact that the three rollers are to all intents and purposes stationary, so far as movement away from one another-is concerned, the increase in thick-.

. ness of the layers of the wrapper causes an I is supported by auxiliary rollers increase in external pressure applied to the rubber sleeve, and the latter yields inwardly and is compressed into a more'dense, compact and ."un or solid structure, which is retained substantially in its compressed condition by the wrapper during the process of vulcanizing to which the wrapped rubber sleeve is subjected. 1

The wrapped rubber sleeve is vulcanized iii any suitableor known manner, and during the vulcanizing process the compacted and solidly wrapped rubber sleeve resists the ,formation of gas bubbles or cavities i the -rubber under the influence of the vui canizing heat, and, as a result, the vulcanized rubber sleeve is supe'riorin its internal condition and is also superior in its external condition, because the non-movable condition of the rollers, serves to insure the wrapper 0 bein wound upon'the rubber sleeve a free or substantially free from wrinkles, pleats,

fo ds, etc, with the result that the exterior surface of the vulcanized rubber sleeve is smooth and free or substantially free from markings, depressions or other imperfecherein shown, the roller 6 61, 62, car which are movable, so that be adjusted toward and In the machine vied by frames 63, the roller 6 may from the roller 03 to permit rubber sleeves of different diameters within limits to be wrapped upon the machine. In the present instance, the frames 63 are pivoted to the framework and adjusted by cams or eccentrics 6% on a shaft (35 (see Figs. l and which is capable o'li' being rotated by a hand wheel 66 on a shaft (37 provided with a worm (not shown), but which meshes with a worm gear 68 on the shaft (35 (see Fig.

The wedge block 28 is capable of being adjusted on its supporting block 27 to compcnsate for ditl'crences in the diameters of the rubber sleeves a, which adjustment may be effected by means of a slot 70 in the wedge block through which extends ,a clamping bolt 71.

As the roller is moved in a circular path with the rock-shaft 18 as a center, the gear 155 rolls on the gear 154, which latter is held from rotation by the link chain 157 and sprocket, wheels 156, 158.

By the term rubber as employed in the claims, I desire to include pure rubber and its compositions or compounds, such as now found on the market under the name of rubber. I k

I have herein shown one embodiment of the invention, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the particular construction shown. Claims:

1. In an apparatus for winding a wrapper of flexible material upon an unvulcanized rubber sleeve, incombination, rollers to support the rubber sleeve, a pressure is roller movable toward and from said supporting rollers and arranged to engage the rubber sleeve when the latter is hearing against said supporting rollers, a'carrier for said pressure roller in which the latter has i a fixed bearing while permitting saidlroller to revolve, mechanism for bodily moving said carrier, and means cooperating with said carrier for maintaining the pressure roller in fixed position with relation to said supporting rollers while a wrapper is being wound upon the rubber sleeve by said rollers.

2. In an apparatus for winding a wraper of flexible material upon an unvulcanized rubber sleeve, in combination, rollers to support the rubber sleeve, a pressure roller movable toward and from said supporting rollers and arranged to engage the rubber sleeve when the latter is bearin against said supporting, rollers, a wedge b ock movable with said pressure roller toward and from said supporting rollers, a rock shaft, and a cam on said rock-shaft to engage said wedge block and maintain the pressure roller in fixed position with relation to said supporting rollers while a wrapper is being wound upon the rubber sleeve by said rollers, and means ,for positively rotating one of said rollers.

3. In an apparatus for winding a wrapper of flexible material upon an unvulcanized rubber sleeve, in combination, rollers to support the rubber sleeve, a pressure roller imivable toward and from said supporting rollers and arranged to engage the rubber sleeve when the latter is bearing against said. supporting rollers, a movable carrier for said pressure roller, in which the latter has a fixed bearing while permitting the said pressure roller to revolve, a rockslialt, and a backing device for. said pressure roller, comprising a member movable with said carrier and a member movable with said rock-shaft.

4. In an apparatus for winding a Wrapper of flexible material upon an unvulcanized rubber sleeve, in combination, rollers to support the rubber sleeve, a pressure roller movable toward and from said supporting rollers and arranged to engage the rubber sleeve when the latter is bearing against said supporting rollers, a movable carrier for said pressure roller, in which the latter has a fixed bearing while permitting the pressure roller to revolve, and means cooperating with said carrier for maintaining the pressure roller in fixed osition with relation to the supporting ro ers while a wrapper is bein wound upon the rubber sleeve by said roIlers.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a plurality of rollers to engage the article to be wrapped, one of said rollers being movable toward and from the other rollers, a carrier for said movable roller in which the latter has a fixed bearing while permitting it to revolve, means for effecting revolution of said rollers and the article to be wrapped, and means cooperating with said carrier for maintaining the said movable roller in fixed position with relation to the other rollers while a wrapper is being wound upon the said artif cle to cause the latter to be compressed externally as the wrapper is wound upon it and to permit said movable roller to be bodily moved toward and from its cooperating rollers.

6. In an apparatus for winding a wrapper of flexible material upon an unvulcanized rubber sleeve, in combination, rollers to support the rubber sleeve, means for adjusting one of said rollers toward the other to adapt the rollers to rubber sleeves of different diameters, a pressure roller movable toward and from said supporting rollers and arranged to engage the rubber sleeve when the latter is hearing against said supporting rollers, a movable carrier for said pressure roller in which the latter has a fixed bearing, and means for maintaining the said pressure roller in fixed position with relation to the supporting rollers for the purpose specified.

7. In an apparatus for winding a wrapper of flexible material upon an unvulcanized rubber sleeve, in combination, rollers to support the rubber sleeve, a pressure roller movable toward and from said supporting rollers, a movable carrier for said pressure roller provided with adjustable jaws to engage and support said pressure roller in ixed relation to said carrier while permitting said pressure roller to revolve, and means cooperating with said carrier for maintaining said pressure roller in fixed position with relation to the supporting rollers for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM P. MCGEOUCH. 

